Patient treatment enclosure and frame



Dec. 1, 1959 1.. R. cAMETo 2,915,074

PATIENT TREATMENT ENCLOSURE AND FRAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 16. 1956 J INVENTOR. 9 2/ LEON ROBERT CAMETO BY WWW! ATTORNEYS 3 Shasta-Sheet 2 L. R. CAMETO PATIENT TREATMENT ENCLOSURE FRAME Dec. 1, 1959 Filed April 16, 1956 IN V EN TOR.

m m m T A Dec. 1, 1959 1.. R. CAMETO PATIENT TREATMENT ENCLOSURE AND FRAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 16, 1956 IN VEN TOR. LEON ROBERT CAME 7'0 BY M MX W AT TORNEVS United States Patent' PATIENT TREATMENT ENCLOSURE AND FRAME Leon Robert Cameto, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Mist Gen Equipment Company, Oakland,

Application April 16, 1956, Serial No. 578,277

4 Claims. (Cl. 135-4) This invention relates to an enclosure, such as a tent, which is used for the administration of oxygen, aerosol, and the like to a patient under medical treatment. Although this invention envisions a complete tent or enclo sure for this purpose, one of the important objects hereof is the provision of a novel frame structure which may be used to support any type of tent or drape enclosing a volume of gas in relation to the patient.

Heretofore it has been common practice to support a tent-like enclosure over a hospital bed to receive at least the head of a patient to whom it is desired to administer a breathable gas, such as oxygen or air with or without medication carried thereby. Such tents, supported independently of the patient, are obviously more comfortable for the patient than a helmet or face mask. Prior known tents and supporting structures are relatively large and unweildy, however, and cannot be successfully adapted to portable or home use.

Various structures that have been proposed for supporting flexible patient treatment tents include frames adapted to be suspended from floor stands and from which the tent hangs, or frames adapted to rest on or be connected to the patients bed. These known structures all depend on rigid frame members, often of metal or with metal fittings, and therefore create the hazardous possibility of a spark being struct in the presence of the usual oxygen atmosphere. Likewise most metallic parts of such frames are subject to rusting and corrosion in the moisture laden atmosphere often administered in the tent.

Frames of the aforementioned types are also subject to collapsing rapidly in the event of fracture of the rigid parts or failure to adequately tighten clamps, screws, and the like. Especially in the case of those prior art tents and frames which are made adjustable or foldable for storage purposes, the same are often so complex as to be difficult to erect.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a patient treatment tent and frame therefor that overcomes many of the disadvantages of the prior art.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a patient treatment enclosure which is made of flexible members for ease in storing and transporting.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a complete unitary enclosure for the administration of a medicinal atmosphere to a patient.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure for enclosing at least the head of a patient, which structure is completely safe and foolproof and requires no particular experience or facility to erect and maintain.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a portable patient treatment tent which is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompa'nyingdrawings, in which:

2,915,074 Patented Dec. 1, 1959 r the tent of Fig. 1, shown in the form in which it is preferably manufactured;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedelevational View of a portion of one of the corners of the tent of Fig. 1, showing the air hinge effect connecting a vertical member with a horizontal member of the frame;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tent of Fig. 1 shown in the collapsed position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of tent of the open top type;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another modified form of the patient treatment tent of this invention in the assembled, erected position;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view, on a reduced scale, of the sides and top of the tent of Fig. 8, shown in the position in which it is originally, preferably formed;

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the back and bottom portions of the tent of Fig. 8, shown in the position in which it is originally formed; and,

Fig. 11 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the tent of Fig. 8 in the collapsed or folded position.

In detail, the assembled tent of this invention, generally designated 1 (Fig. 1), comprises a flat horizontal base member 2 and a pair of upright, spaced, front and rear frame members 3, 4, respectively connected thereto. Members 2, 3, 4 are preferably formed from a pair of weldable plastic sheets 7, 8 (Figs. 2, 4) placed flat and in registration with one another as shown in Fig. 3. With the plastic sheets so placed a continuous weld 5 (Figs. 3, 4) is made around the outer periphery of the two sheets and a second continuous weld 6 is made along a line parallel to and spaced inwardly from weld 5.

This securing of sheets 7, 8 together along weld lines 5, 6 provides a chamber or air cell 9 therebetween, continuous around the outer peripheral edge of said sheets. The sheets are also welded together along a pair of transverse parallel lines 10, 11 which extend across the sheets except for air cells 9. When folded along lines 10, 11, the sheets form base member 2 and upright members 3, 4 as previously described.

Members 2, 3, 4 in effect form a frame for supporting the tent 12 and drape 13, which may be made of a transparent, flexible material lighter than sheets 7, 8. The tent and drape may be made of a single piece of material and-secured, as by plastic welding, to the edges of air cells 9 of members 2, 3, 4 along weld line 5 to enclose a volume of gas therebetween to be administered to the patient. A fully closed type tent is thus formed.

The portions of sheets 7, 8 between fold line 11 and weld line 6 (Fig. 3) are cut out to provide entry to the tent through front member 3 which is, in effect, an air cell arch. The tent is adapted to receive the patients head and neck as shown in Fig. 2 and drape 13 extends .out'from front member 3 to be wrapped around the patients chest and shoulder in order to prevent escape of the tent atmosphere.

When members 3, 4 are folded upwardly from base member 2 the portions of air cell 9 adjacent the ends of fold lines 10, 11 are also folded as indicated in Fig. 5. Thus, a foldable air hinge 14 is formed at each of the lower corners of the tent. Inherent in the inflation of the portions or leaves of air cell 9 that are on opposite sides of air hinge 14 is the tendency of said hinge to straighten out or to render the leaves coplanar. In

other words, inflating air cell 9 tends to straighten out the tent frame to the flat position shown in Fig. 3. This tendency is overcome and members 3, 4 held upright by securing the same in the spaced relationship of Figs. 1, 2 by some tension means such as tent material 12. Hence, the air pressure in inflated cell 9 at each hinge 1'4 urges the vertical members 3, 4 to positions at right angles with base member 2, and the vertical members are held in this position by tent material 12.

Air cell 9 becomes substantially rigid when inflated in the manner of a vehicle tire inner tube. In effect, air cells 9 provide a stiffening means for vertical members 3, 4 and for horizontal base member 2.

Additional stiffening means may be provided for base member 2 in the form of a sheet of cardboard 15, or the like, which sheet may be sandwiched in between sheets 7, 8 of the flexible material of which the tent frame is formed. From a practical standpoint, cardboard may be used to carry indicia 16, such as instructions for the care and maintenance of the tent, and the like. Such indicia will thereby be protected throughout use of the tent since cardboard 15 may be sealed in the pocket formed between sheets 7, 8 by welds 6, 10 and 11.

As contemplated by this invention, the rear member 4 is in the form of a solid panel comprising sheets 7, 8 of flexible material. Said sheets may be welded together along vertical lines 19 (Fig. l) to form a pocket 20 (Figs. 1, 2, 3) between said sheets, the bottom of which pocket is formed by weld line 10. At the top of pocket 20 the same may be opened by forming a slit in sheet 8 and provided a conventional slide fastener 21 for closing the same. Pull tabs 22 may be provided at opposite ends of the slide fastener 21 to facilitate opening and closing the same.

Since the temperature inside a patient enclosure may often become unbearable because of the heat given ofl? by the patient, pocket 20 is provided for receiving ice 23 (Fig. 2) for the purpose of cooling the tent atmosphere. A central weld 24 may be made between the sheets 7 and 8 for the purpose of preventing undue sagging of the material of pocket 20 under the weight of ice 23.

The customary practice in patient treatment enclosures has been to run the gas or other atmosphere through a cooling bath prior to admission into the tent, or to place an ice cooler or the like inside the tent. The provision of pocket 20 of this invention is believed far superior to customary practice since it eliminates additional equipment. The completeness of tent 1 of this invention, including the frame with air cells 9, the tent and drape material 12, 13, respectively, and the cooler pocket 20 is believed to be distinctively advantageous over the prior art devices.

A drain 25 is provided at the lower edge of pocket 20 for draining the melted ice therefrom. Likewise an air filler valve stem 26 is provided communicating with air cell 9 for admitting air under pressure thereto. In most hospital installations a compressor or other air source is available for pumping up the tent. For home use, a small hand bulb with a double acting valve may be used since little pressure is required to fill air cell 9 so that it will stand by itself in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2.

Holes 27 are also shown formed in the back panel of member 4. These holes may accommodate an oxygen hose 28 (Fig. 2), or a like hose from an aerosol generator for admitting the medicinal atmosphere to the tent. Other of holes 27 may be placed for ventilation and circulation purposes.

It will be noted that substantially full view of the patient is accorded by the tent of this invention since practically all parts thereof may be made of transparent plastic material. It will also be noted that there are no rigid or metallic parts to come in contact with the patient at any time. Likewise the hazard of metallic parts coming in contact with each other and creating a spark in the oxygen laden atmosphere with which the tent will be used is impossible with the construction shown. Even ifa leak 4 should develop in air cell 9, the same would merely collapse slowly without injury to the patient, rather than suddenly falling on him as in the case of a metallic frame having pivotal joints.

One of the important features of the tent of this invention is its portability. Since the frame and tent are made entirely of flexible material the same may be readily folded, when not inflated, to the position shown in Fig. 6. When not in use, the tent of this invention requires little room for storage, and because of its light weight may be easily transported. The complete unit, including tent material 12 and drape 13 may of course be folded in this manner.

The tent so far described is of the closed type, in that it completely encloses a volume of atmosphere with respect to the patient. This invention is also adaptable to an open type tent (Fig. 7) in which an opening is formed in a portion of the tent to allow access to the patient during the treatment.

The tent of Fig. 7 is similar in most respects to the tent of Fig. 1, except that the tent material 29 of the former extends only partially up the sides of members 3, 4. Connecting members 3, 4 at corresponding points spaced from base member 2 are a pair of flexible strips 30 to which the upper edges of the side panels of tent material 29 are secured. Strips 30 prevent the flattening out of air cell 9, as previously described, and may also act to stiffen the upper edge of tent panels 29. The tent of Fig. 7 also includes the front drape 13 and the ice pocket 20 in rear panel 4. This open top tent is erected and used in a manner similar to the closed tent of Fig. l.

The modified tent of Figs. 8 through 11 incorporates the basic features of the tents previously described and may enable the manufacture of a larger and/ or more rigid tent. The modified tent, generally designated 33 (Fig. 8), is assembled from a top and side frame member 34 (Fig. 9) and a back and bottom member 35 (Fig. 10).

Frame member 34 is formed from a pair of similar, rectangular sheets of plastic or light flexible material sealed or welded together along a pair of spaced, parallel lines around the outer periphery thereof to form a continuous air cell 36. Auxiliary stiffening means may also be provided by intermediate, transverse air cells 37, 38, 39. In the case of a completely enclosed tent, the panels 40, 41, 42, 43, respectively, between air cells 36 and 37, 37 and 38, 38 and 39, and 39 and 35 may be solid panels of a single thickness of plastic sheet material. It is obvious that panels 40 through 43 may be of the same material as air cells 36 through 39, or the former may be of a lighter, preferably transparent, flexible material.

Extending from one side of frame member 34 and attached thereto is a sheet of thin flexible material 44 which is adapted to act as the tent drape, in a manner similar to drape 13 previously described.

Frame member 34 is adapted to be bent or folded to the substantially U-shaped position of Fig. 8 and for facilitating this folding, short transverse welds 45 (Fig 9) may be made partially crossing air cell 36 near the junctures of intermediate air cells 37 and 39 therewith.

The back and bottom member 35 is likewise formed of a pair of planar sheets of flexible material which may be welded together around the periphery thereof as well as along a transverse fold line 46 (Fig. 10). The bottom panel portion 47 of member 35 may incorporate between the sheets of plastic a cardboard sheet 48 hearing indicia 49 (Fig. 8). Cardboard 43 and indicia 49 are for a purpose similar to that described for cardboard 15 and indicia 16 and the cardboard 48 may be sealed between the plastic sheets of member 35 by the weld around the periphery thereof and weld 46.

Likewise the back panel portion 50 of member 35 may be provided with ice pocket 51, having a closure 52, and apertures 53 for the admission of oxygen and the like into the tent.

The tent 33 of Fig. 8 is assembled by welding the edges of member 35, which has been folded to a right angle along line 46, to the edges of member 34. This provides a generally cubical enclosure, the bottom and back member of which are formed by member 35 and the top and sides of which comprise member 34. The front of the tent thus formed is seen to be open for receiving the head of the patient to be treated, to which patient drape 44 may be sealed to contain the atmosphere within the tent 33.

Tent 33 may be somewhat more sturdy than the previously described tent 1 because of the added reinforcement provided by intermediate air cells 37, 38, 39. The stiffening action of air cell 36 and the action of the air hinges at welds 45 is substantially similar to that previously described for tent 1. Back panel 50, being welded within the arch of member 34, adds additional restraint to any tendency of member 34 to collapse sideways.

The tent of Fig. 8 may also be modified slightly to provide an open top tent by moving air cells 37, 39 closer together, toward weld lines 45, and by removing center air cell 38. In such a case, panels 41, 42 would, of course, be cut out to provide a completely open top to the tent structure there formed.

Tent 33 in its collapsed position is shown in Fig. 11, in which it will be noted that the tent can be folded somewhat in the manner of a rectangular paper grocery sack. In this manner a relatively large sized tent may be folded, when not in use, into a relatively compact package which can be easily stored and transported.

Tent 33 is also provided with a drain 54 for ice pocket 51 and an air filler stem 55 communicating with air cells 36 through 39. The erection of tent 33 is as simple as blowing up a balloon and the resulting structure is sufficiently rigid to provide a protective enclosure for the patient.

It will be understood that the tent frame of this invention, reduced to its simplest form, comprises a vertical member for supporting a tent in enclosing relation to a patient, which member is collapsible and is stiflened and held in a vertical position by a flexible walled, inflatable air cell. The more practical forms of the invention have been described herein, but are not to be taken as restrictive of the invention. Similarly this invention is seen to include tent frames in which a portion of the supporting members are rigid while another portion thereof include air cell stiffening means and/or air hinge means for supporting the frame members upright.

It is also to be understood that, although the invention has been described with relation to a patient treatment tent, the same may be applied to various other uses, such as sportmans tents and the like.

I claim:

1. A patient treatment enclosure comprising: a generally rectangular, horizontal bottom panel, a pair of opposed, vertical side walls, and opposed front and rear, vertical end walls joined to enclose a volume of atmosphere for treatment of a patient enclosed therein, said front end wall being provided with an opening for admitting a patients head, said side walls and said end walls being formed entirely of flexible material and including inflatable air cells for stiffening said Walls under inflation thereof, and means for supporting said side and end walls vertical including continuations of said air cells folded from a normally elongated condition to a condition in which adjacent sections thereof are angularly disposed to one another.

2. A patient treatment enclosure comprising: a generally rectangular, horizontal bottom panel, a pair of opposed, vertical side walls, and opposed front and rear, vertical end walls joined to enclose a volume of atmosphere for treatment of a patient enclosed therein, said front end wall being provided with an opening for admitting a patients head, and a drape of flexible material secured to said front end wall surrounding said opening and adapted to be wrapped around the patient for sealing said opening with respect to the patient, said side walls and said end walls being formed entirely of flexible material and including inflatable air cells for stifiening said walls under inflation thereof, and means for supporting said side and end walls vertical including continuations of said air cells folded from a normally elongated condition to a condition in which adjacent sections thereof are angularly disposed to one another.

3. A, patient treatment enclosure comprising: a generally rectangular, horizontal bottom panel, a pair of opposed, vertical side walls, and opposed front and rear, vertical end walls joined to enclose a volume of atmosphere for treatment of a patient enclosed therein, said end walls and said bottom panel being formed from a pair of elongated, flexible, plastic sheets secured together along a pair of spaced lines around the periphery thereof to provide a continuous, inflatable air cell between said sheets, said front end wall being provided With an opening for admitting a patients head, said end walls and said air cell being folded upwardly along a pair of spaced, transverse lines on said sheets defining the ends of said bottom panel, and said side walls comprising flexible, plastic sheets secured to said bottom panel and to said end walls at least along the vertical edges of the latter.

4. A patient treatment enclosure comprising: a generally rectangular, horizontal bottom panel, a pair of opoosed, vertical side walls, and a rear, vertical end wall joined to enclose a volume of atmosphere for treatment of a patient enclosed therein, said side walls being formed from a pair of flexible, plastic sheets secured together along a pair of spaced lines around the periphery thereof to provide a continuous, inflatable air cell between said sheets, said side walls being the end portions of said sheets and folded generally normal to the central portion of said sheets, said rear end wall and said bottom panel being formed from a flexible plastic sheet folded along a line intermediate the ends thereof and secured to the lower horizontal edges and the rear vertical edges of said side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

